- Given the utterly dysfunctional nature of these CBA negotiations, it’s completely unsurprising that the main reason this lockout is still going on is because the sides can’t come to an agreement on when the next lockout should be. The length of the new CBA, along with contract term limits and transition issues are the three stated reasons for the NHL breaking off talks with the players’ association at a point when optimism reigned more than ever. Here’s Elliotte Friedman with his always excellent take on where the players can go from here. [CBC]
- Even contract term limits is a pretty bizarre issue to be holding up the signing of a new agreement. Owners are in no way obligated to hand out long-term deals if they don’t want to and only about 6% of the PA is currently signed to contracts longer than six years so it’s an absurd sword for them to be willing to die on as well. Dan Boyle said as much when he talked to David Pollak on Tuesday. [Working the Corners]
- In his lengthy press conference yesterday, Gary Bettman characterized the fact that talks turned sour late Wednesday night as “inexplicable.” But the mystery might have been unraveled with the reveal that ownership viewed Donald Fehr (you know, the man hired for the express purpose of representing the union in CBA negotiations) entering the negotiations as a deal-breaker. What. [Cult of Hockey]
- Speaking of that press conference, here it is in its entirety. Maybe I’m a terrible person but watching Gary Bettman fight back what look like actual human tears is hilarious in a schadenfreude-y way. [Puck Daddy]
- Taking a closer look at the impact of age on goaltender performance through the prism of whether or not the Maple Leafs should trade for Roberto Luongo as soon as this lockout is over. [Pension Plan Puppets]
- Eric T. had a few counterpoints to the PPP article on goaltender aging, including discussion of survivorship bias that clouds this kind of analysis; the only goalies allowed to play in the NHL into their late 30s are the good ones. [NHL Numbers]
- Which teams will benefit from a shortened season and which teams will be hurt by it? [Backhand Shelf]
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